Council members update map for phase 2 of Mills River Park

By Nancy TankerTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Thursday, July 11, 2013 at 9:23 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 11, 2013 at 9:23 p.m.

Mills River Town Council members voted unanimously to have the Mills River Park park map updated to reflect the start of Phase II, which will include three elementary school-age baseball fields and a parking lot.

An updated map with the planned improvements is necessary to start the process of applying for a grant from the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation and the N.C. State University Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

If the grant process is successful, the two organizations will partially fund the park improvements, said Zoning Enforcement Officer Pat Christie.

Additional funds would come from the town and private donations. Council member Lois Pryor said she had more than $100,000 in funds pledged to her from private donors who very much wanted the baseball fields to be built.

It will cost roughly $500 or less to have the map drawn up, Christie said, and it's a critical component of the grant-seeking process, along with lots of paperwork and a public comment period.

Originally, Christie had presented the board with a plan to update the map to include another 350-foot baseball field for older children, but that plan was nixed after she told the board that she'd heard through the grapevine that while the state budget hadn't yet passed, funding for the state's Parks and Recreation department might be cut as much as 44 percent in the coming year, "to a total of $11 million for the whole state, but the budget isn't finalized so we can't really tell what's going to happen."

"And the grant requests might be greater this year," making competition tougher, she added.

Council member Shanon Gonce urged the council to cut back on the Phase II plans for the current year in order to increase the chances of the town receiving a grant.

"Can you ask for a certain (grant) amount and they'll give less?" he asked Christie.

"No," she replied. "You make your grant request and you get a yes or no."

Hoping to avoid that "no," Council dropped plans for the larger baseball field.

<p>Mills River Town Council members voted unanimously to have the Mills River Park park map updated to reflect the start of Phase II, which will include three elementary school-age baseball fields and a parking lot. </p><p>An updated map with the planned improvements is necessary to start the process of applying for a grant from the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation and the N.C. State University Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.</p><p>If the grant process is successful, the two organizations will partially fund the park improvements, said Zoning Enforcement Officer Pat Christie.</p><p>Additional funds would come from the town and private donations. Council member Lois Pryor said she had more than $100,000 in funds pledged to her from private donors who very much wanted the baseball fields to be built.</p><p>It will cost roughly $500 or less to have the map drawn up, Christie said, and it's a critical component of the grant-seeking process, along with lots of paperwork and a public comment period.</p><p>Originally, Christie had presented the board with a plan to update the map to include another 350-foot baseball field for older children, but that plan was nixed after she told the board that she'd heard through the grapevine that while the state budget hadn't yet passed, funding for the state's Parks and Recreation department might be cut as much as 44 percent in the coming year, "to a total of $11 million for the whole state, but the budget isn't finalized so we can't really tell what's going to happen."</p><p>"And the grant requests might be greater this year," making competition tougher, she added.</p><p>Council member Shanon Gonce urged the council to cut back on the Phase II plans for the current year in order to increase the chances of the town receiving a grant.</p><p>"Can you ask for a certain (grant) amount and they'll give less?" he asked Christie.</p><p>"No," she replied. "You make your grant request and you get a yes or no."</p><p>Hoping to avoid that "no," Council dropped plans for the larger baseball field.</p><p>Reach Tanker at 828-694-7871 or nancy.tanker@blueridgenow.com.</p>